Page 70 of Depraved
Immediately, I know what’s happened. Pluto’s around Black’s place enough for me to know he’s got a sweet tooth. They’re in the fucking donut shop too.
My hands fly up to my head and run through my hair as my heartbeat suddenly triples. Why isn’t anyone taking security seriously? Elena’s supposed to be going into heat! It doesn’t matter that this is a fucking human store.
Goddammit!
The sound of motorcycle engines outside nearly stops my heart.
No. No fucking way. That’s too damn fast.
I don’t even know that he’s got a motorcycle.
Except, I do. My gut tells me it’s him.
I turn and look at the front wall of windows and see six hogs pulling into the parking lot. A spider crawls down my spine and bites me in the balls.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Oh fuck. We timed this shit wrong. We timed it so wrong.
I start to panic. “Elena!” I yell, spinning in a circle. I can’t see anything but rows of puffy white marshmallow gowns.
I run down one row. “Elena!” I bellow again, heart racing as I peer over at the hall leading to the back door. Nothing’s broken. Where the fuck are the changing rooms?
“ELENA—” A hand on my arm cuts me off, and Adelle stares at me with very obvious disapproval. She’s got a mean librarian look about her.
“Young man, no need to yell.”
“Where is Elena?”
She points over her left shoulder. I accidentally knock her aside as I rush past her to the wall full of doors. I pound on the first changing-room door. The doors in this place go from floor to ceiling, completely walled off like fancy little rooms, so I can’t just bend over and check underneath to see if her legs are there.
I completely ignore Adelle, who comes up behind me and hisses, “This is no way to act, sir. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
I grab the human woman’s shoulders a little harder than I intended because I’m panicked. “I need you to leave, right now. Do you hear me?” There’s no time to get her into a bathroom and lock it. All that organized plan shit goes flying out of my head. Instinct, and my wolf are driving me. I need to get to Elena. Right fucking now.
Adelle draws back, a hand on her chest, clearly offended. “Young man, this is my place of business.”
“Get the fuck out of here. Someone’s here to kill us. And if you don’t leave—you’re dead!” My arm whips straight out to the side, and I point at the motorcycles parking near the road.
I think Adelle must believe me because she gives a scared little peep and hustles away.
I turn back to the line of changing rooms and pound on the next door. “Elena, open the fuck up! He’s—”
The door swings open, and Elena steps out in her regular clothes but wearing a sparkling tiara styled with crystal leaves, peering over my shoulder. “She gave me all these dresses, but I didn’t want to break cover yet—”
I shove her back into the changing room and follow. As soon as we’re inside, I turn and lock the door, sweat beading on my forehead.
“Jonah ...”
She stops speaking because growls erupt from the parking lot. Fucking hell, I hope that means Pluto’s not at the donut shop anymore.
Thumps and crunching metal reach my ears. I don’t know what’s going on out there, but my anxiety ratchets up. Can Pluto and Warcraft handle six alphas? If Katherine’s in the mix? That’s two-on-one.
A sour taste erupts on my tongue. My bones feel hollow. I don’t like those odds; I don’t like them at all.
“Here Comes the Bride” jingles on the door. That better be Adelle leaving.
